Child like Innocence
by siraheart
Summary: A story of two children growing up together in an Island, with a few adventures along the way...(Gon X OC)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Hunter x Hunter or any of their medias!

Chapter 1: Boy x Girl

Isa was staring at a boy who has the same age as her, the boy has spiky black hair and big brown eyes that seems to shine with mirth, he was holding his hands to the older woman with red hair and hazel eyes, it was the first time she saw the two of them, given that the island they live in is sparsely populated, and are mostly comprise of old folk, since the island is isolated, only a handful of people visited the island mostly by merchants from other lands just to do trade and commerce.

"Good afternoon Mito-san and this must be Gon your nephew!" Isa's sister greeted.

"Good afternoon to you too Maya-chan and this must be your imotou"  
Mito greeted back to your sister.

Maya push her sister in front of her to introduce Isa to both Mito and Gon.

"This is my little sister Isa, she's 4 years old say hi to them Isa-chan"

Isa shyly look at the two strangers and wave her little hands in front of her in a greeting.

"Hi I'm Isa..." Isa trailed on

Mito smiled at the little girl in front of her and she also push her little nephew in front of her to introduce him also.

"It's nice to meet you Isa-chan this is Gon my nephew he is the same age as you, I hope you two would get along, the two of you are the only children with the same age here in the island"

Isa turn her attention to Gon, and Gon give Isa a big smile that shows his baby teeth with one missing tooth that he accidentally knocked out from falling face first on a tree, this made Isa blush.

"Hi Isa!" Gon greeted

Isa shyly hide behind her sisters back, for once she didn't know how to interact with children her age, she felt her heart flutter rapidly, she blushed, what she felt to the boy in front of her was all foreign to her she felt warm inside and happy perhaps? She thought .

"Oh how cute! I really hope they get along it would be nice for both of them to be friends and play together, Isa here is quite lonely, burying herself to her books" mused Maya-chan

"Oh! That's quite an achievement for a young age to be able to read, although my nephew here prefer the wilderness over sitting on the table and read, but I do hope they get along." Then Mito turn her attention to her little nephew and push him forward to meet Isa, "Well Gon-kun would you like to play with Isa-chan here."

Gon smiled to Mito and nodded "sure, Mito-san"

"Very well, why don't you two go on and play somewhere, while me and Maya here have a chat" Mito told the two children.

As the two women talk about their daily lives, Isa took a peak at the boy in front of her the second time, and the boy realizing that Isa is staring at him, Gon stared back and give Isa one of his brightest smiles, this made Isa blush red from the roots of her hair down to her toes, and look away immediately holding tightly to her sister's skirt, her heart was fluttering wildly inside her chest, she took a peak at Gon and she smiled shyly at him. When Gon see her smile he smiled back at her.

As if the spell is broken, Gon approach Isa and offered his hand to take, Isa look from his hand and then his face, Isa smiled and take Gon's hand. "Ok" Isa said.

"Don't go too far you two, be back after an hour, we will be here waiting for you in the fish port." Maya told the two.

"OK!" replied the two children

The two children were seen holding hands together, strolling the streets, laughing or even giggling, they were looking at the various of stall in the port that sells fish, and a wide variety of fruits, they never spoken a single word just staring at each other smiling and pointing to various things that they found amusing, as if they have communicated through their mind.

As the sun sets the children found their way back to their caretakers at the port, chatting with the other ladies who were sorting fish from the afternoon catch. The ladies felt them approaching and look up to them.

"Oh! How cute! Its nice to see they get along so well! Maybe we'll be plan for a wedding in the near future!" one lady joked.

"Absolutely not! Yoko-san they're still young!" Maya and Mito chorused. Yoko the woman who joked about it, laugh along with the other ladies present.

"of course they're still young! I didn't say right now I said in the future. Seriously, the one who needs to get married is the both of you." Yoko chided

Mito and Maya both blush scarlet, they were flustered and embarrassed, what the woman said was true, Mito was past her marrying age while Maya was on her way to adulthood.

As the adults bicker for themselves, the children just stare at them and wondering what they are talking about, well for the most part Gon was clueless while Isa cheeks are painted pink, clearly flustered about what the old ladies are talking about, she is no stranger about marriages as such, since she read it about it in books. She was disturbed by her musings by Gon when he nudge on her shoulder, she look at him.

"Ne Isa-chan what is married?" Gon asked innocently, Isa look away from Gon too embarrassed.

"It's when a boy and a girl live together." Isa answered vaguely while twiddling her thumbs.

The little boy process what the girl had said and his face suddenly lights up as if he had it all figured out.

"Ah! I see! Its just like us, we are the only boy and girl, and we live together in this Island so it means that we are married right?!" exclaimed Gon, Isa was now dangerously red from head to foot, by what Gon claimed they are.

"Isa!" "Gon!" Maya and Mito called, they ushered the kids out of the port away from the old ladies teasing, they walk together in a dirt path leading to their houses, since Isa and Maya's house was just along the road to Gon and Mito's house. After a few minutes they have reach Isa and Maya's house. The two ladies say their Goodbye's

"Its nice talking to you Mito-san and thank you for walking with us to our home, do you want to come in?" asked Maya.

"No it's ok Maya-chan Gon and I will be on our way, but thanks for the offer, Gon say your goodbyes."

"Goodbye Maya-san" then Gon look at Isa and smiled brightly. "Goodbye Isa-chan!"

Isa stared at Gon and smiled shyly. "Goodbye Gon-kun! And Goodbye also Mito-san!"

As both aunt and nephew take their leave, Gon look back to Isa and wave his hands while grinning wildly.

Then Isa wave back to Gon, smiling at him, she smiled to herself, she was happy that she had met someone her age, and was hoping that they will meet again. She was thinking about the boy with the brightest smile she had ever seen, that only made her heart flutter rapidly, and she felt giddy. Isa wouldn't be able to describe the feeling for a very long time that what she felt was love towards the boy she had just meet.

* * *

A/N: this is my fist attempt in making fanfiction, I love hxh since I was 12, until now that I'm old…hehe and this story was stuck in my head for the past month, and it was just asking to be unleashed, I do apologies, for any grammar errors here and there, writing this fanfic is also my way of exploring my skills in wrtting. Please comment and rate my story if you like it, I do appreciate the time you spent reading this. (^_^)


	2. Chapter 2

**_Disclaimer: I don_** ** _'t own Hunter x Hunter or any of their medias!_**

Chapter 2: Our x Little x Secret

A child the of age eight was running to a dirt path leading to their nearest neighbor, it was a perfect time to explore the Forrest and most of all a perfect time to hangout with his neighbor, ever since they have met, Gon would always fetch Isa from her house, and they would play out in the sun. Although they have been warned that they must not go too deep in the forest, in fear that they might get hurt or worst attack by a the native wildlife especially the territorial fox bear. At first they would heed the adults warning but the temptation of exploring the forest weighs heavily than the adults warning. Children can be quite curious for their own good, but so far everything was good.

Gon passed Isa's picket fence and ran at the back where he knew Isa would be by her bedroom window reading or sorting through her books, by what he observe, she was pressing some plants that they collected while they where exploring the local flora of the island in her thick leather bond books, he would always admire her dedication, her impeccable to borderline obsessiveness in sorting and organizing her things.

"Hey Isa-chan! What are you doing?" he asked

"Oh! Hi Gon, I was just pressing the plants we have collected, so I could use them as pictures on my notes." she replied

"So would you like to go out and play? There's a patch of flowers blooming by the riverside, maybe you would want to try them." Gon supplied, he knew what buttons to press just to convince his "neighbor" to go out with him, and just like that he saw Isa's eyes sparkle with renewed curiosity, he definitely got her there.

"Ok hold on a minute let me get my stuff."

A few minutes later, the two of them are seen walking to the forest, guiding Isa where he spot the flowers at bloom on the river side. Moments like this is a welcoming distraction for both of them, the relentless teasing thrown upon them is just too much for kids their age, who could blame the old people from their village who literally know them since they were a babe, to make it worse they are the only kids with the same age, or more specifically they are the only kids around in this quite isolated island. Imagine the awkwardness of the situation when they are spotted together, its just pure joy to the old folk who had nothing to do but to tease them every single time.

"We're here!" exclaimed Gon

The scene before them was just magical, straight out from Isa's children's fairy tale books, just as Gon promised, of course she wasn't here to admire the scene before her, she was here for scientific purposes, she took out her trusted science kit, composed of scissors, magnifying glass, and a set of knives from varying sizes, and grabbed her book about all kinds of flowers, its mostly like an index for flower, their taxonomy mostly, usually it describe the plant and it has few drawings or reference guide for the plant parts. And she would compare the written description with the actual plant. Isa clipped one flower and presented it to Gon.

"Here, don't worry same as usual we taste it together, and you tell me how it taste like."

Of course he knew this would happen, this is one of the draw backs hanging out with Isa, they would literally shove every piece of plant, herb, or flower in their mouth that they come across, except for the most poisonous ones of course, and if he wants to be a bit daring he would nip a few of those poisonous ones out of curiosity, and Isa would smack him down with her book for being stupid, the last time he did that he ended with a severe nausea and vomited his guts out, good thing Isa knew what to do, and shove a whole bottle of milk that she always bring with her, it seems that she knew this would happen.

"Ok 1, 2, 3…" and they both shove the flower into their mouths, and a few minutes of chewing they spit it out.

"Bleeehh! That is too bitter, although I tasted something sweet." Gon told Isa.

"Really!? I can't tell it just numbed my tounge though" Isa then wrote down their observations

Because of this experience Gon had unknowingly developed a keen sense of smell and taste, he could actually tell and differentiate what was in the food that his aunt Mito would cook. Hanging out with Isa had taught him a lot of things, he knew she was too smart for her age, the first time that he hang out with her was basically sitting and reading books, and he would sigh and shuffle from time to time clearly bored out, when Isa notice this, she silently got up pack her books and grab his hand, he was miffed, and he thought that he had angered her, she took him into their backyard where a few grown herbs that they kept, she shoved one herb down his throat without warning, then she asked how it taste, since then their play dates usually composed of eating plants he could say he had literally eaten every native plants in Whale Island.

"Ne, Isa what do you want to do?" Gon asked out of the blue.

Isa put her knuckles under her chin, she carefully think what she liked to do, but all she has was a blank canvass, the sun is still up they have a few hours to themselves before they go home.

"What do you think Gon do you have something in mind?" she asked Gon.

Now it was Gon's turn to think, there are a lot of options to do, after all Whale Island is just too big for two little children to explore.

"I think we can go to the waterfalls we haven't been there for a while now." Gon suggested, the waterfall was just a few walks away from where they are standing, they could hear the faint sound of water falling. The last time they've been there was two weeks ago, although they haven't been on the top, for fear of slipping down.

"Yeah I think that's a great idea, since we have a few hours before night time, we could think of something to do when we get there."

* * *

As they walk in silence, Gon was deep in thought, he was thinking about the "pep talk" that he and he's aunt Mito last week, to say he was embarrassed about it is an understatement, but ever since his aunt corrected his assumptions on what "married" means in a more detailed fashion that what he and Isa share are just friends, Gon never mind about calling Isa and his relationship with her as married, but it sure does make Isa uncomfortable, every time they were together people would tease them, and at this point Isa would turn red from embarrassment from the old folks, he was wondering whats the big deal about it, so in order to save Isa from more teasing and bullying by the folks he change it to "we're neighbors", and when he told the people about it, Isa was now giving him the silent treatment for the whole day. And Gon can be quite straight forward never beating around the bush and tackle the problem straight on, he confronted Isa.

"Ne Isa-chan what's wrong?"

"Nothing"

"I know that there is something, why don't you just say it rather than keep quite about it"

"why do you tell people now that we are 'neighbors'?"

This type of conversation is what really puzzles him, he stop telling people they are married just to stop them from teasing Isa and opted for what they really are "neighbors" and now she is upset about it, it really confuses him.

"But we really are neighbors, we only live a short walk away" he told Isa.

And now Isa turn to face him immediately and he back away, her face was totally red, not from embarrassment but from anger, oh he never saw Isa this mad before, and he really doesn't know what to do. He turn away and scratch his cheek he was sheepish, until he heard a sob from the girl, shocked he hold Isa by the shoulder and search her face.

"Isa-chan! I wouldn't know what I did wrong when you don't tell me."

Isa rub her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt and look at Gon straight in the eye.

"Don't you want to be my friend?" Isa looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"No…" Gon Blurt out without thinking it through, and then he continued "…but I still prefer us married Isa-chan" he confess.

Isa's mouth was literally hanging open that she was rendered speechless for a moment, she was utterly flabbergasted by what Gon admitted. Her cheeks tinted pink.

"What are you saying?! we're only eight! We can't be married! Only adults get married!"

The boy only smiled to her, he may not know the full meaning nor he has someone other than Isa to compare it, it was just the two of them, Gon may be naive but he had a clear understanding about different kinds of relationship, he just trust his instincts in this kinds of situations, although he may have a difficulty in translating it to words due to the fact that he is still young and is a child, for him that word had a deeper meaning and it just fit in to what his gut feeling is saying, deep down in his heart and in his very soul that it was the perfect word that describe what he is feeling towards Isa.

"I may not know the full meaning of the word, and I don't have anyone to compare it with, but ever since I saw you Isa-chan…" he paused and place his right hand on his chest "…I felt like I'm home."

By now Isa smiled at him, she now understood what Gon was trying to say, Gon was a simple boy who wore his heart on his sleeves, he doesn't over think things, he just follow what his gut feeling dictates, it may be complicated but that's just who he is.

Gon held up his hand in a gesture, his pinky finger sticking out in a promise "Ne Isa-chan promise me, that you won't tell anyone."

Isa stare at his hand, and she too held up her hand and locking her pinky finger with Gon's in a sign of promise.

"Yes, I promise!"

"It's our little secret." Gon grinned widely and she smiled.

* * *

Gon's train of thought was disrupted when Isa announced that they have arrived. The waterfall was still the same the last time they've visited. Except for a few berries that had sprout.

As they settled themselves on the edge of a rock formation that has the perfect view of the waterfall, then out of habit Gon took out his nylon string out of his pocket, alongside his fishing hook wrapped in a cloth to prevent the sharp pointy end from poking him. Then he search for a suitable wooden stick to tie the nylon, after indulging Isa with her curiosity with the world around them, they would usually play after, like the other week, they play wrestle in the mud for a while until they were covered in mud head to toe, which it didn't end well for the both of them, they were given an earful of lecture from both Isa's mom and his aunt Mito, after they ruined their clothes and what if they catch any diseases from swimming in the mud.

For now they both enjoy the afternoon relaxing under the thick canopy of the tree they settled in, Gon was setting facing the water bank with his make shift fishing pole, while Isa was leaning her back to Gon, as she was immerse with her book on her lap. The two of them was enjoying each others silence, all that was heard was the pages being turn by Isa. And out of the blue Isa broke the silence, she turned her head to Gon.

"What do you want to do when you grow up Gon?" Isa asked

"For now I don't have anyting in mind, how bout you?" Gon answered without turning his back, concentrating his eyes on the water inf ront of him.

"I want to explore the world someday…hopefully if I get my scholarship."

Gon always knew Isa's thirst for knowledge and sometimes he envy her for that, she had already map her future, as of now he didn't know what he really want, maybe someday he will find it. As if sensing his thoughts.

"It's ok Gon you will find it. When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." she gave him one of those smile, that made his heart in uncontrolled rhythm, he blush and smiled back.

* * *

A thin man dressed in a oversize bel staff, step out of the ship and observe the quite little island, at long last he had arrived, his right hand hold his blue hat over his head to avoid being blown away, while his white hair sway with the wind. He would never thought this was his Masters hometown, he was pondering where he would start his search. _Well then I think I should start from the beginning._ He thought, and he started walking in searching for clues to his elusive masters whereabouts.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Hunter x Hunter or any of the characters portrayed in the manga.

A/N: Sorry for the late upload guys, I have been busy with my work for this past few weeks that it left me worn out by the end of the day!

I was actually working on a new story and is still in progress, I was inspired to write a new one after reading Red-void's fanfic "To find what is missing" I highly recommended that, it's a bit long but the story is really really good! Hehehe!

Chapter 3 - Heart x mind x determination

"The boy and his heart had became friends, and neither was capable now of betraying the other." -Paolo Coelho

When Isa heard her sister Maya from the door calling for her help with the market goods that she was carrying to their kitchen, Isa obliged and carry the other bag. At nine years old she was already helping her sister with the chores at home after their parents died from a storm on their way home to whale island from the mainland when tragedy struck the two siblings a year ago that left them orphan at a young age. After that the two siblings where helping one another, luckily their parents left a fortune just enough to live for a couple of years. Even with that Maya was working at the port with the other ladies, selling fish and some of their grown vegetable, life was kind to the both of them.

After they segregate the items in their tiny kitchen Maya glance at Isa and told her what she heard from the port.

"Isa-chan I just heard from Mito-san that Gon was attacked by a fox-bear a few days ago and it was a miracle that he is still alive from the ordeal...HEY!"

Isa didn't hear the rest of the story, as she dash out of the house to find Gon. Fear gripped Isa's heart her mind plagued with outrageous possibilities on what happened. She flat out ran from her house without a sense of direction never stopping even when she bumped on someone or even ask where Gon was, it was like deep down Isa knew where he would be, and when people ask her about it she would just shrugged off and tell them: "Just a hunch" and the people from their village will start teasing her about Gon saying that it was her crush instincts that's talking, and she would blush and call them off, for saying such ridiculous things.

Isa continue to ran the walk path leading on top of the cliff over looking the ocean, she knew Gon would be there sitting and possibly mulling—they had discover the place a few years back when they stumble upon it the view on top was spectacular as it offered a three hundred sixty degree view of the island and perfect for watching the sunset. As she neared the top she saw his back, looking over the vast ocean hearing the crash of waves hit the shore as the sound travel to her ears, she was panting hard from running to find him she could taste the salty air from the sea, she observed Gon she knew something happened aside from the fox-bear attack, she could just feel the heaviness of the atmosphere around him.

* * *

The boy was sitting on the cliff looking over the vast ocean, pondering about what happened and what he had discovered from that. He was saved by a stranger name Kite, he told him that he was a disciple of his father who was a hunter, and told him that his father was very much alive and well, a stark contrast from what Mito had told him at a very young age that his parents died from a traffic accident.

At that moment Gon didn't know how he felt about the truth, but he was happy and giddy even that his father was alive.

The sound of foot steps, stopped his wandering thoughts and turn his back to the sound and saw Isa walking towards him, she was clearly disheveled from running to find him, he knew it was only a matter of time before the news about him being attacked by a fox-bear spread like wildfire, no doubt her older sister had told her. After her parents death, they haven't seen each other much and his aunt Mito had strongly forbade the two from wondering alone the woods, saying that it's "inappropriate" he had no idea what his aunt Mito was chattering about and Isa's tinted cheeks confuse the hell out of him, before they weren't allowed since it's dangerous for young children and now that they are a bit old enough to understand to keep away from dangerous places, and now they have been forbidden to hang out just the two of them - what's so wrong about going alone in the woods all they do is play and indulging Isa's odd hobby of collecting plants and eating them.

He saw a bit of twig and leaves on her hair, and she was panting from exhaustion due to her haste to find him.

Gon smiled to Isa and without warning she tackle him and embrace him tightly, Gon was surprise by the gesture and hug her back he could smell the wild tulips on her, tickling his senses and guess that she might have ran over the small meadow on her way up. Gon heard her sniffling, and he brought Isa at arms way to look at her face closely, there he saw her tears falling down her cheeks.

"What are you crying about Isa-chan? I'm ok now fine even if that's what you are worried about, nothing serious happened." He assured her.

Without warning, Isa smack Gon upside his head hard and screamed!

"That! Is for making me worried! You idiot!"

"EHH! Is that how you're going to be when your worried? Your scary Isa-chan!" Gon pouted and touched his throbbing head and out of a sudden he flashed Isa a grin, and it made her heart skip a beat she can't help it she blush every time Gon gave her one of those smiles, there's just something about it that made Isa forgive him easily.

"I'm sorry for making you worry Isa-chan, can you forgive me?" Gon apologies.

"Only if you tell me what really happened to you! And I know if your lying to me so don't bother!" Isa snubbed

Gon sweat drops, "ok ok! Hehe! As you already know I was attacked by a fox-bear. But I never told anyone that I was saved by someone, his name was Kite, he was my father's disciple and he also told me that my father was alive and is a hunter."

"But Mito-san said that he died..." Isa trailed off and glance back at Gon.

Gon turn his head back to the ocean, the whistle of the wind pass as Isa stared at him and right then and there, somewhere deep inside her she knew Gon had already made his decision, just looking into his eyes the spark and the unwavering determination that lies behind those expressive eyes, and when Gon turn back to face her and see those eyes, Isa just can't help it, she felt sad, she knew he was leaving but despite that, she smiled encouragingly to Gon, and just that his brown eyes spark with life.

"I want to know why my dad desired so much to be a Hunter! To the point that he left me to pursue his dream." Gon told Isa. She smiled and at that moment Isa knew that Gon has already became friends with his heart, and neither was capable now of betraying the other.

* * *

A/N: After reading Paolo Coelho's "The Alchemist" this line struck me and got inspired writing this chapter, it just fit well with the scene. And thank you again for spending the time to read my story. Reviews and comments are welcome so let me know what you think. (^_^)


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